Russian oil and oil products trapped at sea after new US sanctions - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Four tankers carrying Russian oil and oil products are stuck at sea after the US imposed new sanctions on Iran, indicating increased cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, as well as Western efforts to cut off their revenues.
Russian oil and products were trapped at sea on four tankers after the United States imposed new sanctions on the vessels related to Iran. This is evidenced by LSEG data released on Friday, April 12. Reuters writes about it, UNN reports.
Details
This event shows how Moscow and Tehran have increased their cooperation as Western sanctions have tightened and how the West is trying to unravel the complex network of firms to reduce loopholes and revenues for both aggressor countries.
Reuters notes that on April 4, the United States imposed new Iran-related sanctions on the shipping company Oceanlink Maritime DMCC and its vessels, citing its direct involvement in the transportation of goods to the Iranian army.
The Treasury Department said the United States is using financial sanctions to isolate Iran and disrupt its ability to fund its proxy groups and support Russia's war in Ukraine.
The list of sanctioned vessels includes three fuel tankers that loaded petroleum products in February-March and a crude oil tanker that loaded Russian oil in early April.
Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Anthea loaded about 200,000 metric tons of Russian Urals crude oil off the Gulf of Laconia near Greece on two vessels in late March, and the vessel is now anchored in the Suez Canal with the oil on board. This is indicated by LSEG data. According to LSEG, the vessel has been anchored in the Suez Canal since early April.
According to LSEG, another sanctioned vessel, the Elsa, took on fuel oil in March via a transshipment near the Greek port of Kalamata. According to the data, the fuel oil, about 100,000 metric tons, was transported to Kalamata from the Russian ports of St. Petersburg and Ust-Luga in March.
Claire Jungman, chief of staff of the US-based advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, which tracks Iran-related tanker traffic using satellite data, confirmed the movement of both vessels, adding that since 2021, the Elsa has transported more than 9 million barrels of Iranian crude oil or fuel oil to the UAE, Singapore and China. According to LSEG, the Elsa has been anchored off Singapore since early April.
Another Hebe vessel was loaded with 100,000 tons of fuel oil in the Russian Baltic ports of St. Petersburg and Ust-Luga. The tanker is heading towards the Suez Canal, but its final destination is still unknown.
According to LSEG, the Baxter vessel, loaded with oil in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, was headed to India. According to shipping data, the tanker has been drifting in the Arabian Sea since April 5.
The recent actions against ships tied to Iran's military focus represent a major change: some of these ships, previously involved in evading sanctions on Iran, have begun to deal with Russia.
These ships face serious obstacles due to secondary sanctions. Ports around the world are likely to deny them entry to avoid the consequences of violating these sanctions...
Russian oil suppliers are unlikely to use these vessels, or any vessels provided by the shipping company, under the sanctions, which now have the potential to tighten the already small tonnage involved in the Russian oil trade, a source in the Russian oil market said.
Reuters attempted to contact Oceanlink Maritime DMCC for comment on the matter, but to no avail.
